


The First Breath

by tablelamp



Category: Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-02 17:49:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11514387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tablelamp/pseuds/tablelamp
Summary: The first breath is unexpected.





	The First Breath

The first breath is unexpected. With the second, she finds her voice.

"Diana!" Antiope shouts. She means to say more, but she's temporarily stopped by a bout of coughing.

"We have her," says one of the healers--Epione, Antiope thinks, although her thinking still feels as though someone has thrown a handful of sand in it. 

Hippolyta and Menalippe are immediately standing over her.

"Rest yourself, sister," Hippolyta says. Menalippe says nothing, but gives Antiope a long look that tells her she must have been difficult to heal.

"Diana," Antiope repeats, only coughing once this time. Progress. "Where is she?"

Hippolyta's jaw tightens, and Antiope knows what that must mean. Diana has gone to Man's World, as was her destiny. She will stop Ares. Even if Diana is not sure of that yet, Antiope is.

"Ah," Antiope says.

She can see the fury in Hippolyta's eyes, fury that her sister tries to tamp down, which tells Antiope more about how ill she must have been. Menalippe glances between her queen and her general nervously, as though she is concerned about battle erupting here. It's one of the few times Antiope has seen Menalippe nervous of a skirmish, and the thought twists at her mouth, bringing a smile.

Hippolyta, of course, reads the smile in connection with her own turmoil. "You must be pleased."

"I am," Antiope says. "When I recover, spar with me if you wish to punish me for it."

Now Hippolyta nearly smiles. "Even I am not foolish enough to confront the great General Antiope."

"Well, then," Antiope says. Hippolyta gives her an exasperated 'you never do what I say' look, and it surprises Antiope into laughing. Though she knows she is healing, she can still feel where she was injured when she laughs or takes deep breaths. This will also pass, she knows.

"Are you all right?" Menalippe asks, springing eagerly to the first safe conversational ground she has been able to find.

Antiope nods. "I will be." She pushes herself to rest on one elbow, which pains her, but the pain is bearable. She hates to lie still. "The weapons of men have changed since we left their world."

Menalippe rests a comforting hand on Antiope's shoulder, and Antiope gives her a look of reassurance. She knows what it is to worry about the safety of your sisters in battle...and afterward.

Hippolyta nods, her mouth tight. "I hope..."

She is thinking of Diana, of course. Antiope nods in agreement. "I know. So do I." She glances at Epione, who is standing a respectful distance from her queen. "May I stand?"

Epione shakes her head. "I wouldn't advise it."

Antiope sighs. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow would be better," Epione confirms, darting glances at both Hippolyta and Antiope as though she expects to be contradicted.

"The others. Have they been healed?" Antiope asks.

"Almost all," Epione says.

"I am well enough," Antiope says. "Help those still in need of your help."

Epione gives Antiope a smile and moves to her next patient without any additional prompting.

Hippolyta raises an eyebrow. "And if you need help?"

Antiope raises both her eyebrows. "Have you ever known me to be reluctant to cause trouble?"

Hippolyta laughs. "No." 

Even Menalippe smiles at that. She is a woman of few words, but she rests her hand gently on Antiope's arm as she says, "I need to lead today's training, but I'll make note of anything you need to know about."

Antiope knows Menalippe will make note of nearly everything; she is quiet, but that places her in a better position to observe unnoticed. And Antiope will be happy to talk about training and methods of battle rather than her own health. "I trust you." 

Menalippe gives Antiope's arm a gentle squeeze, signaling how much she's missed Antiope, and then leaves the room.

Antiope turns her attention to Hippolyta. "Is there more I need to know?"

Hippolyta sobers. "I sent Diana with your talisman."

"You didn't tell her I could be healed?"

"I wasn't sure you could be. These new weapons..." Hippolyta sighs. "We were lucky they harmed as few as they did."

Antiope's mind is already turning to strategy--thinking about Themyscira's rocky coastline and how it can be used to their advantage if they are faced with more armed men. "Now that we know about them, we can prepare. Have different tactics if others come with such weapons."

Hippolyta nods, though she doesn't seem pleased with the idea. "Do you think they'll come with Diana gone?"

"No," Antiope admits. Just as she and Hippolyta can both feel that Ares is yet alive, they both know that Man's World intruded upon them to pull Diana in its direction. "But Diana could return."

"She could," Hippolyta says, and that's when Antiope knows that Hippolyta feels it too...that Diana is unlikely to come back.

"We can only prepare," Antiope offers. She may not be entirely ready to relinquish the idea of Diana's return, but she knows her sister isn't ready at all. Her sister is still grieving the loss of her child.

"Yes," Hippolyta says, and Antiope can almost see the moment Hippolyta stops being a woman alone with her sister and becomes Queen again, with her queenly reserve fully in place. "If there is nothing else you need..."

Antiope nods. "Thank you for being here when I...revived."

Hippolyta's expression wavers, just for a moment, and she nods. "Thank you for reviving." Then she is gone.

Though it takes some maneuvering and isn't the most comfortable action to take, Antiope manages to turn onto her side so that she can look at the blueness of the sea surrounding Themyscira. Somewhere out there, beyond the curtain of fog the Amazons can't see, Diana is fighting for them all.

And Antiope knows better than anyone exactly what kind of fighter Diana is.


End file.
